Yomi's Story: Worth
by Reyka Sivao
Summary: He had idolized the fox from the time they met, and longed for nothing more than his acknowledgement. Twoshot.
1. Acknowledgement

**Yomi's Story: Worth**

Characters: Yomi, Kurama

Pairings: None

Continuity: English Anime

Summary: He had idolized the fox from the time they met, and longed for nothing more than his acknowledgement. Twoshot.

Author's note: A request from The Countess of Monte Cristo! Thanks for the inspiration!

* * *

><p><strong>Part One: Acknowledgement<strong>

When the young demon was taken into the gang of thieves, it meant a chance at life.

Not just a chance at making something of his life—though that was certainly true. But it also meant a chance to _survive_. Demons on their own seldom lasted for long in this harsh world, unless they were old and skilled enough to take it on.

So when he was taken in, he was desperate to prove his worth, to show that they hadn't made a mistake in accepting him.

All of them, but especially their leader.

Youko Kurama was already a legend in the Makai, and Yomi was incredibly privileged to have been chosen as part of his group. He looked up to the fox, wanted to be like him, desperately desired his respect and approval. He was like the father he'd never known.

Yomi worked hard, steadily rising through the ranks until he was second in command.

He was actually partners in crime with his idol…but somehow, it wasn't enough.

Kurama still didn't consider him an equal. He was forever the young, inexperienced one—partner, yes, but junior partner. No matter how hard he tried, Kurama never truly gave him the respect he craved.

So he grew reckless.

He would show him.

He would prove that he was just as good…no, he was _better_ than Kurama. He would steal twice as many treasures, break through even more highly guarded vaults. _He_ would become a legend to eclipse even the great Youko Kurama.

And then Kurama would acknowledge him.

* * *

><p>It was unfortunate that Yomi did not understand the traits that Kurama truly valued.<p>

The fox valued patience and stealth, not brashness and defiance.

A frontal assault would never gain Kurama's respect, and taking—_losing—_half his best men in the process was a quick path to disfavor.

Still, Kurama was willing to give him another chance—and another, and another, bailing him out of the trouble he kept finding himself in.

He had proved his worth on many occasions, after all.

But each time, Kurama's face grew colder.

Finally, it was too much.

Kurama set a trap, one last chance to pass the test, and waited.

* * *

><p>When Yomi heard the rumors about a fabulous treasure not far away, he jumped at the chance.<p>

Kurama ordered not to go after it, telling him it was too dangerous, and that he would not come after him if he went.

Yomi ignored him.

He took the few men who were still willing to listen to him and went to the place the rumors had indicated, visions of fabulous wealth and Kurama's approving smile dancing before his eyes.

But there was nothing there.

There were only desolate ruins, stark and barren...

The whistle of a blade slicing through the air was the only warning he got.

The attack came out of nowhere. The demon cut down Yomi's allies with his double swords, and then turned to do the same to him.

Yomi threw himself back, survival instincts taking over.

The blades missed his vital points, but Yomi almost wished they hadn't.

Pain exploded across his face, and he found himself screaming.

_No! The light!_

It was gone.

Everything was dark.

Dark, pain, terror, blood—that was his whole world.

Part of him wanted to die right there.

But another, stronger part of him rebelled.

_NO!_

He struck back with blind fury, catching his opponent off guard, apparently wounding him badly, though he had no way of knowing for sure.

The demon muttered something as he slipped away, and Yomi's ears, working overtime to compensate for the darkness, caught a statement that confused him.

"Life's more important than the reward."

What?

What reward? Who was rewarding whom? For what? Was this not just a random attack?

But he could ponder that later, if he survived.

Yomi bandaged his face as best he could and huddled in the lee of the ruins, waiting to be rescued.

The cold of night fell around him, though the world remained unchangingly dark.

He shivered, though not so much from the cold around him as from the icy knot that was slowly tightening in his stomach.

He wasn't coming.

Kurama's words echoed in his mind, telling him that he wouldn't come if he got in trouble again. The fox's cold golden eyes flashed in his mind's eye, and Yomi's unbeating heart sank within him.

He wasn't coming.

Yomi wrapped his arms around himself, willing the tears not to fall from his burning eyes.

Too late, he realized that Kurama had spoken the truth, and would not go back on his word now.

He was going to die here.

The wind picked up, and harsh drops of rain began pelting him.

He was going to die.

The rain fell faster, chilling him to the bone.

Die.

Thunder, forever severed from its visible half, cracked and rolled around him.

The roaring sound poured over him, filled him with its defiance.

And the defiant part of himself roared to life with it.

NO!

He was NOT going to die!

Yomi gritted his teeth and threw himself to his feet, opening his mouth and roaring back at the sky.

"Is that it? Is that all you've got?" he shouted at the universe. "If you want me dead so badly, then strike me down! Kill me! Go on, STRIKE!"

A peal of thunder cracked, and Yomi laughed harshly.

"Of course not. That would be too kind. But know this: I will not give in. I will live, and I will fight, and I will show the world how great I truly am."

His rage and bitter humor were fading, replaced by a calm that was deadly cold.

"Kurama…abandon me, will you? I promise you this: you _will_ acknowledge me. I will become greater than you could ever hope to be, and you will be the one to look up to me."

Focusing on the sounds and smells around him, and the sensations of the ground under his bare feet, Yomi made his way out of the ruins.

He would find a way.

No matter what it took, he would survive. He would become powerful. He would make the world—no, the _worlds_—respect him.

And he would make that damned fox acknowledge him.


	2. Accomplishment

**Part Two: Accomplishment**

* * *

><p>Yomi strode the great halls of his palace with a small satisfied smile on his face.<p>

It had been a long, hard road to get here, but it had been worth it.

Not only had he survived, not only had he become vastly more powerful, but he had surpassed even his own wildest hopes.

He had learned not to need sight at all. Indeed, while there still a few things that were trying about his state—the fact that he'd never been able to learn to read irked him to no end—he'd actually come to prefer relying on sound as his primary sense, especially for fighting.

Simply surviving those first few vulnerable days had sharpened his hearing beyond belief.

He found, when he had no other choice, that he could hear the slightest footstep, the rustling of clothing, the breath of an opponent, eventually even the pulsing of blood in their veins.

Fighting blind wasn't easy, not at first, but eventually he gained a reputation as a fearsome fighter.

At least, at close range.

Long range fighters still had a considerable advantage over him, and several times he'd barely escaped with his life.

That was when he decided to seek out assistance.

Finding the door he was seeking still wasn't as easy as it had been with sight, but he managed well enough, and knocked on it.

The door creaked slightly as it opened, sending a slight breeze swirling around his face, and a deep voice answered.

"Yes?"

"Is this the home of Shigure?"

There was silence for a moment. Yomi imagined that he was being sized up, but inwardly cursed his inability to read body language.

"That is my name."

"And you are the Demon Surgeon?"

"Why do you wish to know?"

"I wish to acquire your services."

Again, that damned silence.

"Are you aware of my… idiosyncratic policies?"

"You cost is one I can afford. Let me tell you my story, and decide if it is worth altering."

After a pause, the door creaked again.

"Very well."

Yomi told the deep-voiced demon about his abandonment and blinding, mentioning the attacker's cryptic words about a "reward", and finished with his determination to make a name for himself.

"And that is how my light was stolen, and why I need your assistance."

Again, the silence stretched out.

Well, it would have been silence, once.

Now it was filled with all sorts of things that were no longer below his notice. A crackling, snapping sound—a fire—jumped at him from one wall; three—or four?—different kinds of insects buzzed outside what must have been a window (it was to only place where sounds from the outside leaked into the room); and Shigure's weight shifted ever so slightly in his seat, causing the wood to creak and the fabric of his clothes to rustle.

"Indeed," said the surgeon finally, "your story is most interesting." He shifted a little more, and Yomi could hear his sleeves moving up in front of him. Was he steepling his fingers?

"Here is my proposal. I will not restore your sight—that would defeat the point of the story."

Yomi bowed his head. How he'd hoped…

"I can, however, offer you significantly greater hearing."

Yomi's ears flicked up at that.

"And the cost?"

Shigure's voice held a grim amusement.

"You may not seek to have your sight restored by any other means…and when you find the one responsible for taking your 'light', you may not kill him." He paused to let Yomi take it in. "And know that I have ways of ensuring that my prices are paid in full."

Yomi considered it. The voice of the demon with the twin swords flashed across his mind—"_the reward…"_—followed closely by the memory of his hateful face.

That was followed by the faces of everyone he had ever known, starting and ending with his vision of an approving Kurama smiling proudly at him.

A sight he would never see in truth.

"I accept your terms."

* * *

><p>The procedure had been painful—though according to Shigure, it was nothing compared to some of the other things he was willing to try—but more than worth it.<p>

He could hear _everything_.

He could hear the footsteps of an ant on a leaf, the rising of sap in a tree, the sound of a whisper voiced three miles away.

No longer were long range fighters a problem for him—there _were_ no fighters whose range exceeded his ability to hear them.

And as he grew in power, his range grew with it.

Voices became clear to him further and further away, and he gained a reputation as the one who knew everything about everyone.

He used this ability well, trading secrets for power, winding his way into the halls of power.

When he was ready, he staged a coup, setting himself up as the ruler of a small nation.

A nation that was small no longer.

Yomi leaned a hand against a pillar of his palace, smiling at the memory.

His reputation as all-knowing had helped him cultivated a reputation as all-powerful, and the soldiers of the nation he'd earned were quick to flock to his leadership. He'd even been merciful to the previous rulers, allowing them to stay in positions of power under him. He managed to unify the country under him as it never had been before.

And then he had turned his gaze outward.

Were there not were other nations—and wild lands—that could benefit from unification under wise leadership? And who better to provide it than him?

He had taken the lessons from his former leader to heart.

He had learned to slow down, to patiently listen and consider before acting, to consider the advantages of mercy as well as vengeance. After all, captured soldiers treated well were far more likely to abandon their previous loyalties in his favor.

And besides, the more territory he controlled, the better his chances of finding the one who stole his light.

And though he was willing to consider the benefits of mercy, if mercy did not suit his purposes, he was perfectly willing to cast it aside.

After all, Shigure had only specified that he couldn't _kill_ him.

* * *

><p>Eventually, he had found the demon with the twin swords.<p>

Mercy had no benefits in this case, and Yomi unleashed years of anger on the powerless demon.

He had begged for mercy, and then begged for death, but Yomi would give him neither.

And then Yomi had asked him about the "reward" he'd overheard.

Something strange had happened.

The terrified demon had grown utterly still, and Yomi drew back, puzzled by what he heard.

His pulse had increased its pace, his breathing had shallowed—Yomi could even hear the telltale signs of eye dilation.

Whatever he'd just asked him about…had scared the demon even more than Yomi did.

Yomi considered the possibilities, and had finally come across one that made sense.

One that made far, far too much sense.

He tried to dismiss the possibility, tried to assure himself that he would never have done anything like that…

The memory of Youko's cold, hard gaze rose before him again, and he knew the truth.

Yes. He _would_ have done something like that. The question was…had he?

He demanded that the captive demon tell him who had hired him, threatening him and torturing him for the information, but he wouldn't tell. Whoever it was had inspired enough fear that nothing he could do would break him.

So Yomi changed tactics.

He searched instead for his old ally, leaving the demon to rot in his prison, though carefully making sure that he stayed alive.

At first, he thought he was too late. All the stories of the fox ended with him being killed by spirit world hunters over a decade ago.

But then came news of the Dark Tournament, and with it, news of a fighter who called himself Kurama, who smelled like a human and fought like a demon.

That was more than enough for Yomi. He set his best trackers and agents on the task of finding the fighter, and finally, they found him.

That was what Yomi was waiting for, standing at the edge of his palace.

When his old ally finally arrived on the outskirts of the palace grounds, Yomi greeted him in the only way that seemed proper.

He sent several of his least favorite palace guards to attack him.

The familiar sound of a whip slicing through the air, as well as the confident voice calling the attack, was enough to convince him of the other's identity, even before the guards hit the ground in more places than there had been guards.

Yomi assessed Kurama's condition as he approached. He certainly seemed human…but there was a telltale edge about his energy that clearly marked him as a demon to those skilled enough to notice it.

He was calm, of course. Kurama was always calm.

But there was an edge about him—muscles tensing just slightly before they should, voice just a little too emotionless, the muscles that controlled his eyes pulling them just a little too much.

There was more than one possible explanation for these signs…but they would certainly be compatible with a sense of guilt.

So Yomi took his guest down to visit his prisoner.

He would learn the truth once and for all.

So finally he offered the one thing he knew could induce the pathetic demon to give up the information he held so dearly.

The demon begged again for death, and Yomi promised it to him if he would tell.

After all, if he had been bought off…he wasn't truly the one responsible for the loss of his light, now was he?

When the demon confirmed his worse suspicions, it hurt far more than he had anticipated.

He gave the demon what he requested.

He turned back to his old partner, who was standing there with his head bowed.

A thousand emotions filled the air around them.

Chiefly they were betrayal and guilt, joined by tenseness and sorrow and regret and anger and loss…

He should have felt angrier.

But he didn't.

Mostly what he felt was loss.

He had lost something he had held onto for all these years of his life, something that had been a great part of his reason for living.

He had lost his respect for the man he had once idolized.

He had been not only abandoned, but _betrayed._

Betrayed by the man he had wanted nothing more than to please.

But then again…

Every sound of Kurama's still body showed a deep sense of guilt.

That was something the old Kurama never would have felt.

It seemed that the man in front of him had changed even more than he had, turning from ruthless criminal into…what was he, now?

Yomi pondered his old ally, and slowly the fire of anger and hurt died down inside him.

Perhaps he was worth a second chance.

* * *

><p>Things didn't out quite the way Yomi had once envisioned.<p>

Still, he couldn't complain.

He had finally achieved one of his greatest goals: Kurama acknowledged him as his superior. It was implicit, certainly, but what else could he expect from the reticent fox?

And, even more than that…he had found a friend.

That was something he had never even considered the possibility of, either when he wished to be his equal partner, or when he had hoped to have Kurama bowing before him.

The great Youko didn't _have _friends.

But the human Kurama was willing to risk it.

It took some time, and they had to come to certain understandings. And there was one moment that almost broke it forever.

When Kurama had announced his support for the tournament, and for the human boy, it had been a slap in the face for Yomi.

How could he?

Hadn't Kurama agreed that he owned him a great debt? Hadn't Kurama _changed?_

But then he considered the possibility that was actually being offered him.

Fighting, one on one, to determine who was the fittest to rule the world.

This idea had possibilities.

Yomi's lips twitched, and then spread into harsh grin.

Yes…definite possibilities.

* * *

><p>When Kurama fought Shigure, Yomi actually felt fear.<p>

He was afraid that Kurama was going to foolishly through his life away in a battle that didn't have to be to the death, a battle that didn't really have very high stakes at all.

Was he doing it out of guilt?

He'd gotten to know the new Kurama well enough to know that that was very much a possibility.

Yomi turned on his heal and headed out towards the tree, wishing that Kurama had his sense of hearing so that he could talk some sense into him from here.

* * *

><p>By the time he reached the base of the enormous tree, Kurama was already being lifted down from the ring by announcers on flying machines.<p>

Yomi sent them away with a wave of his hand and took his friend's arm over his own shoulder.

"Did you think you would get away so easily?"

Kurama's eyes snapped open at the sound of his voice, and he tensed slightly…and then relaxed.

"Yomi," he said, by way of greeting.

"That was certainly an impressive display," said Yomi. "But really, must you risk your life every time you fight?"

Kurama bowed his head, silent for a moment.

Then, in a rare moment of honesty, he whispered his answer.

"Yes."

"No."

Kurama turned toward his blind friend, puzzlement showing in the beat of his human heart.

"No. You may have regrets in your past…but who doesn't? Is there any person, human or demon, who has nothing to feel guilty about? You're not special, Kurama. You're simply alive."

Kurama said nothing, but he was listening.

"No matter how guilty you think you are, you have no excuse to go seeking death at every opportunity. You have far more to live for than most I have met. Don't throw it all away on misplaced guilt."

Kurama's eyes widened in shock.

"Misplaced…?"

Yomi merely inclined his head.

Kurama bowed his head again, and was silent for a long moment. Yomi could almost hear the thoughts swirling in his head.

"Thank you."

The words were soft enough that someone with lesser hearing might have missed them.

Kurama looked up and smiled slightly, repeating himself.

"Thank you, Yomi. You're a better man than I ever was."

Yomi's eyes actually opened in shock.

Then he smiled. A real, warm smile of utter contentment.

"Come on," he said simply. "Let's get you back."

The last empty place in his heart was full.

* * *

><p>Author's note: Yup, it was Shigure. What, did you think all those extra ears grew themselves?<p>

Credit for that plot point goes to The Countess of Monte Cristo, who wanted to know why Yomi didn't just go get himself a jagan implant. There's my answer. =D

Hope you enjoyed!


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